You Instead
by foshizzlemanizzle
Summary: AU. Of fickle minds and fickle hearts.


**Author's note:** I made this in one sitting. Haven't edited it yet so you might find some errors here and there. Just let me know through a review. Will clean it up in a day or two.

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><p>The first time she saw him, she knew he was the one. She was sold the minute she saw those dark, midnight eyes and that pale skin that was as white as his perfectly straight teeth.<p>

Then, one faithful day, across the cafeteria floor, their gazes finally met for the first time. Her eyes seemed to focus only on him. Her surroundings were but a blur, the raucous laughter of teenage boys and girls lost to her ears.

Then, in one heart-stopping moment, he smiled.

It was then that she knew that there could be no one else but him.

.

.

Haruno Sakura was in the climax of her soliloquy when her best friend, Yamanaka Ino, released a dreamy sigh.

With a deep frown and a furrow in her brows, she griped, "Seriously? Am I that boring?"

She received nothing in reply.

Frustrated, Sakura followed the gaze of her friend just to find out what—or more precisely, _who _exactly caught her in a daze.

"_Seriously_? Eww, Ino. Just, eww." Sakura uttered, wrinkling her nose.

"Are you _blind_?" Ino gasped, clearly insulted.

"_Now_ she pays me attention." Sakura grumbled, rolling her eyes.

"Ugh. As if anyone in their right mind would choose to listen to you ramble off about the latest development in _biotechnology_," Ino remarked as she mimed gagging motions.

"Over eyeing a total hottie." She finished, sighing in delight.

"Sai? A hottie? _Sai_?"

"His name is Sai? How do you know him? Tell me _more_!" Ino squealed in delight.

Sakura scoffed.

Eyeing Sai, she replied, "He's my partner in art class. He's rude and arrogant."

"Last I checked, you adored rude and arrogant boys." Ino replied, the tone of her voice deceivingly innocent. Sakura chose not to reply as she pretended to scan the notes written in her open notebook.

"Oh, _sorry_. My mistake. I meant rude and arrogant _boy_." Ino smiled wickedly.

"There are rumors that Sai is gay!" Sakura quickly replied, her voice high, desperately wishing to change the topic.

"Irrelevant. There are rumors that _you know who_ is also gay. That didn't stop you. So why should I let a rumor of the same nature hinder me from pursuing _my _Sai?"

"Yeah, that did me a lot of good." Sakura barked sarcastically.

"Pshaw. My love story won't end up like yours. Sasuke was obviously gay. Sai, I can tell you for sure, is a hundred percent pure, beefy male."

"Gah! Ino, hush! I thought we wouldn't mention his name, anymore?!" Sakura replied, clearly flustered.

"Sasuke. Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke," Ino rolled her eyes, "Would you chill? It's not like I screamed his name."

Sakura hid her flushing face in the palm of her hands in defeat.

"Anyway, back to _moi_. Hook me up with Sai. Okay?" Ino smiled, her voice saccharine.

.

.

As he took a seat in one of the empty tables in the cafeteria, his eyes immediately executed a thorough scan of the seated crowd, seemingly searching for a particular individual. Spotting a certain someone, he felt a small smile form in satisfaction.

Unaware of his gaze and with a smile on her face that reached her clear, expressive eyes, she continued to ramble on about something to her friend. As her smile turned to a grin, he felt his own smile widen.

"My, my. Look at you. All mushy and lovesick." His friend grimaced as he took a seat on the chair beside his.

"Ha ha." He replied with a roll of his eyes.

"Seriously, you're killing me. Just walk up to her and ask her out. I'm sick of this unrequited love vibe or whatever emo shit vibe this is of yours."

"It's not that easy." He sighed in reply.

"It _is_. You've been mooning over the girl for years," his friend remarked and after a pause continued, "I told you, it's okay with me. I'm _fine_. Stop trying to be considerate."

"If you don't start making a move, you might end up regretting it." His friend continued and with a nod of his head in the girl's direction, "And it seems that time will be soon."

As his gaze fell on her once more, he felt an uncomfortable churn in the pit of his stomach.

She was palming her face in an attempt to hide her flushing cheeks, seconds after eyeing a certain dark-haired boy.

.

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_**TO BE CONTINUED.**_

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><p><strong>Author's note:<strong> Please, please, _please _leave me a review. This is my first time writing a multi-chaptered fic. Well, actually, this will be more like a drabble than a fic. The chapters won't be too long and there won't even be too many chapters. Probably five at most. I'm not yet sure. I'm really nervous and your messages will really help me carry on and write the succeeding chapters. Your reviews will really inspire me. Hoping to hear from you guys, adios!


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